Wendy,
I don't have any personal experience with juvenile scoliosis, my daughter has infantile idiopathic scoliosis - she is now 5 years old. One thing I do know is that spinal growth for the juvenile period is slow and stable, so your doctor's recommendation to wait a few months is not unreasonable - however 6 months is a bit of a stretch ! Looking at the Cobb angle in isolation is not very prudent - for instance there's a family history on your side of scoliosis and even though you were never treated, your curve sounds moderate/significant Has your doctor told you what the RVAD number is ? Studies have shown that an RVAD of greater than 10 generally progresses. I would find out if the RVAD is increasing or decreasing over time. Juvenile scoliosis has the potential to progress to severe rigid deformities if left untreated - it can impact on cardio pulmonary function. If your son's curve progresses to 20 degrees, I would brace immediately ! If you wait until the curve is 30 degrees, the chances of surgery is almost 100 % with conventional rigid braces and there will be little hope for him during the adolescent growth spurt. I know this post sounds gloomy and dire, but it's best to know these things in advance so that you can take appropriate action.
I don't have any personal experience with juvenile scoliosis, my daughter has infantile idiopathic scoliosis - she is now 5 years old. One thing I do know is that spinal growth for the juvenile period is slow and stable, so your doctor's recommendation to wait a few months is not unreasonable - however 6 months is a bit of a stretch ! Looking at the Cobb angle in isolation is not very prudent - for instance there's a family history on your side of scoliosis and even though you were never treated, your curve sounds moderate/significant Has your doctor told you what the RVAD number is ? Studies have shown that an RVAD of greater than 10 generally progresses. I would find out if the RVAD is increasing or decreasing over time. Juvenile scoliosis has the potential to progress to severe rigid deformities if left untreated - it can impact on cardio pulmonary function. If your son's curve progresses to 20 degrees, I would brace immediately ! If you wait until the curve is 30 degrees, the chances of surgery is almost 100 % with conventional rigid braces and there will be little hope for him during the adolescent growth spurt. I know this post sounds gloomy and dire, but it's best to know these things in advance so that you can take appropriate action.
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